Play Book Tag discussion

It started off with great promise, a western showing the gritty reality of the Old West in the days of the Gold Rush and railroad building, the story of a Chinese family struggling to find fortune and home. Unfortunately it rapidly started to flounder as one time jump after another was inserted, and one idea after another half-heartedly introduced. Then it just fizzled and died into a drawn out wordy ending, one of an open ended sentence. The author was too caught up in cleverness and trying too hard to be different to successfully tell the story. It was a shame because it is a story needing to be told.

Fits book club as it was a 2021 buddy read, which I count as book clubs, that I only now read. Oops.

Glad I passed on it, no more books need throwing until I try to figure out how to fix the dent in my wall

Well, had you started it then threw it at the wall after p. 50, you would have read the best part!

😂

I liked it more than you did, Theresa. I liked the “anti-western” theme and the story of immigrants who received little credit for a massive amount of work. I am not overly fond of the ending, but very much enjoyed writing style and creativity.

I live in the part of the country where it is set, so perhaps that contributed to my enjoyment. There are lots of museums here that show the many Chinese workers juxtaposed against the paintings of the connecting of the railroad lines (where there is not a Chinese person in sight).

@JoyD - I might not have been such a severe critic of it had I not just read In the Distance, which I loved and also challenges the romanticized version of the Old West. Also my reading a few months ago of On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family, which I also loved, provided some of the Chinese immigrant story of that time.

Definitely a story needing to be told in all its ugliness. This just fell apart for me in writing and structure, not subject. Plus I can't help thinking that she didn't know how to end It for Lucy, so she was too clever, trying to keep the fable feeling.

Or maybe I don't like fiction written as fables? Must give that some thought.

Truthfully, I wasn't a fan of either In the Distance or How Much of These Hills. I attributed part of my problem with How much of these Hills, to the fact that I was reading it during the height of the pandemic. My main problem with it was how much it jumped around in time and trying to find my footing in the book.

I didn't love the surreal Dali-ish landscape presented in either book.

I loved In the Distance - definitely placed it ahead of this one. I agree that the jumping around didn't help anything. You're probably right about the ending Booknblues - she didn't know what to do so it just ....ended.

I only read this for book club - and the discussion was no better than the book. Avoid this author and this book. peace, janz

Theresa wrote: "Definitely a story needing to be told in all its ugliness. This just fell apart for me in writing and structure, not subject. "

I think I liked it more than you did as well, Theresa, but I agree with above. The subject matter was great. And right around this time PBS was doing a series for Asian American History month (I think) and there was a documentary about Chinese immigrants and their essential role, but erasure from, building the great railway. I found it fascinating. But the execution left something to be desired.

I also liked that they included a trans character, Sam. Without the language for being trans Sam never explicitly identifies as male, but that is clearly the implication. I liked that character a lot. Surprisingly, or maybe not?, there are a lot of trans characters in Westerns. More trans men, but I find that interesting. Sam's transition into a male-identifying life seemed very organic and not pigeon-holed in.

Meli wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Definitely a story needing to be told in all its ugliness. This just fell apart for me in writing and structure, not subject. "

I think I liked it more than you did as well, Theres..."

I was thinking about Sam and her gender fluidity as having been quite natural as well. I also think that fit the Old West setting and period well where the distinctions between genders was hidden or blurred for protection or survival, especially with children, but also adults. The lore around Calamity Jane had her passing as male at times and on the brothel tour in Deadwood, there are photos of a fully bearded madam. I wouldn't say there was more tolerance necessarily, but it was called the 'wild' west as much because of lack of enforced social strictures as because of lack of laws

Theresa wrote: "@JoyD - I might not have been such a severe critic of it had I not just read In the Distance, which I loved and also challenges the romanticized version of the Old West. Also my rea..."

Yes, my thoughts exactly! In the Distance was great, this one was a disappointment.

Theresa wrote: "Meli wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Definitely a story needing to be told in all its ugliness. This just fell apart for me in writing and structure, not subject. "

I think I liked it more than you did as..."

There was a stagecoach driver who was only discovered to be female after death. There is a novel based on that but it wasn't very good and I have forgotten the name. I have heard that there were some women passing themselves off as men in the Union and Rebel armies. If some comrades figured out the truth, they generally protected them from exposure.